UlasanAnime.com – The Million Live third anniversary tour concluded with a two-night performance at the Makuhari Messe Event Hall in Chiba. This venue, located about an hour by train from Akihabara, presented significant travel challenges on the second day due to hurricane-level winds that severely disrupted local train services. The primary route to the venue, the Keiyo line, which connects Tokyo Station to areas like Disneyland and Makuhari Messe, was temporarily closed for several hours. This closure stranded many attendees, including fans of Million Live, Nogizaka, and Doberman, who had to seek alternative transportation.
The Sobu line was a common substitute, but it also experienced considerable delays early in the day. From the Makuhari-Hongou stop, attendees could take a bus to Kaihin-Makuhari station. For the author, the train disruptions posed a direct threat to their midnight flight from Haneda Airport. With the concert scheduled to end around 9:30 PM, and trains potentially not resuming service, there was a real concern about how to reach the airport. The usual one-hour journey would become significantly more complicated. The severe weather was evident even during the author’s walk to the local Aeon mall, with waves taller than the channel walls and winds exceeding 50 mph, though thankfully, only light rain fell.
Fortunately, train services resumed at 7:30 PM, allowing the author to catch a local train back to Tokyo. The author opted not to attend the first day of the Makuhari event, prioritizing a more conservative approach to ticket acquisition. While this allowed for a live viewing experience of a nearly 4.5-hour show, it meant missing what was described as the most impressive concert by Million Stars to date. A key highlight of the first day was the performance of the song “Aisle.”
“Aisle,” released shortly before the Million Live 3rd Nagoya event, was a highly anticipated song. Performed by Machico (Tsubasa) and written by nano.RIPE, the song features prominently in the manga as a highlight performance by Mizuki, Julia, and Tsubasa. The manga volume that included these chapters also came with “Aisle” on a limited edition CD.
During the live concert, “Aisle” was seamlessly transitioned into “Airu” from Praline, creating a powerful and emotional climax to one of the most hyped shows in Million Live’s history. The performances by Aimin and AbeRika, Aimin’s elevated performance during Praline’s guitar solo, and the spontaneous high-five moments were cited as examples of the characters truly coming to life from the manga pages.
Similar to other stops on the tour, the ML3rd Makuhari event was structured into blocks of songs, interspersed with MC segments and intermissions. The concert began with “Dreaming” and an MC, followed by a series of performances detailed on IM@S-DB for both day 1 and day 2. The medley, which returned from the Osaka show, was performed just before the intermission. Songs like “Machiuke Prince” and “Fate of the World” were rendered with no less impact than “Marionette” (not the sleeping version), contributing to the overall high-energy atmosphere, especially with the inclusion of “Smoky Thrill.”
The author attended the live viewing at a Toho theater in Nipponbashi, where the event was shown on the largest screen available. The audience was reportedly as enthusiastic as those at the live venue, reacting to the performances as if they were present. The staging, particularly the use of carts that moved to the second floor, was a novel element compared to previous events.
The theater offered a superior sound experience compared to attending in person. The author noted the impressive visual impact of seeing Machico’s “heso” (navel) on a massive screen, which made them consider organizing similar screenings. The stadium seating provided a comfortable viewing experience, allowing attendees to remain seated throughout the show, which was beneficial as the front-row seats made standing awkward.
In the first half of day 1, Noriko’s image song stood out. Hamasaki Nana performed her image song with a team of backup dancers who re-enacted pro-wrestling moves. The lyricist had encouraged the audience to participate with “No-Ri-Ko-” calls during the bridge, which were met with great success, making it a significant highlight.
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Saito Yuka, affectionately nicknamed “Mrs. Trunks,” made her major Million Live debut, and seeing Subaru’s songs performed live was a deeply moving experience for the author, comparable to seeing Yunkon perform.
“In the Name Of” was significantly enhanced for this performance compared to its rendition at Million Party 02. AbeRika’s performance was so outstanding that she was considered the MVP, even playing a supporting role in “Airu.” The voice actress for Mizuki, despite her generally subdued demeanor, conveyed immense emotion through her facial expressions during the performance, capturing Mizuki’s essence effectively, barring her physical appearance.
“Growing Storm” was an all-hands-on-deck performance on day 1, featuring all five members. A notable difference on day 2 was the “leaders” of the tour performing songs originally belonging to other members, a unique occurrence that the author felt might not be seen again.
A technical issue with Nansu’s microphone during “Smoky Thrill” on day 1 resulted in her voice being inaudible for most of the song, continuing a perceived “curse” on Kugyuu group songs at Makuhari.
The carts this time circulated on the second level, moving from the front to the rear exit in pairs. This arrangement provided excellent views for attendees on the third floor and close proximity for those on the second. Although the author had Arena C tickets on day 2, which offered a consolation, they were still able to wave at Mocho, Ueshama, and Miina.
During day 1’s “Smiling Crescent,” Mocho and Pyon blew kisses at the camera from the cart, eliciting amusing reactions. Day 2 featured the same song with Mocho and Stef, and when the spotlight hit the back of the hall, the audience giggled due to Mocho’s known popularity among fans.
The author’s favorite part of the medley was “Machiuke Prince.” Suwa’s delivery of the “USOTSUKI” line on day two was met with enthusiastic cheers, and Aimin’s laser-like focus was also evident.
“Happy Darling” on day 2 was particularly memorable due to the integral role of audience calls, providing an excellent cheering practice session, which had been largely absent in previous performances of the song attended by the author. The author expressed gratitude to the “yakkai Ps” for this.
Both Rikanee and Miina improved their solo performances, with “Dear” showing a particularly notable enhancement, adding a dimension that was missing from day one’s focus on slower songs. The author was pleased to see “Ehon” from Tenchan performed live, despite the absence of the accompanying book visuals.
“Fate of the World” by Koro and Kokochan was captivating, but the version by Koro and Miina was described as a high-powered vocal battle that felt distinct from the usual IDOLM@STER world. A similar situation occurred during “Alive Factor,” where Machico filled in for Mingos, and during “Marionette” on day 2 between Machico and Komachan. The author appreciates these moments in seiyuu live concerts, highlighting the vocal focus and the strong singing abilities of the newer generation of seiyuu idols.
While not a direct comparison, the author noted a significant evolution between ML 2nd and ML 3rd, particularly for returning performers, evident in their ability to “let go” and refine their artistry. Distinguishing between the performances of Koroazu, Machico, and Pyonkichi, who have been performing for the longest, is challenging due to their consistent skill, but subtle improvements are still detectable, such as Machico’s harmonies in “Airu,” Koro’s restrained version of “Catch My Dream,” or simple gestures like a kiss on the cheek.
The author reflects on the unique “idol thing,” where witnessing the growth and development of performers who have been supported evokes a special feeling, akin to anime fantasies becoming reality. This extends beyond specific songs like “Airu” to experiencing live performances of songs that have been on repeat for years, contributing to a sense of being “emotionally invested.”
A footnote is added regarding the financial commitment, with the author having spent a considerable amount on attending three stops and one live viewing. They acknowledge that this money might have been better allocated to CD lotteries and express regret for not fully engaging with the ML3rd tour from the outset, leading to a higher cost. The author questions if this is the typical fan experience for groups like Nogizaka46.
With the announcement of ML 4th and the upcoming Blu-ray releases of all seven shows starting in the fall, the author looks forward to 2017.
P.S. The author took numerous photos of the flower displays and may post them on HPT.moe. Here’s a sneak peek:
